Resolutions: Incremental Progress, Consistent Commitment
Like many people, I sit down around New Year's and make a list of resolutions: lose weight, get in shape, and make meaningful changes—all with the best intentions.
Last year, I read an article about making SMART resolutions: Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic, and Time-Driven. I remember some other suggestions, but what stuck with me was the idea of creating a system for tracking progress. I set up a Google Drive folder for 2024 with a spreadsheet for each month. Within each month, I had a tab for each week, and on those tabs, I listed daily measurements or binary tasks I could check off. Things like weight, steps taken, exercise, and work-related goals.
While I wasn't perfect, I maintained the system for most of the year. It helped, except for a summer slump when the kids were home, and my discipline waned. I'm resolved to avoid slacking off this year, which should be easier since the kids won't be around as much. Frankly, I need to be more committed.
One new addition this year is a commitment to reading at least one page of a novel or book daily. I already read a ton—technology articles, work stuff, news—but I've realized I've neglected the kind of fiction and nonfiction books I used to enjoy. I came across a blog post about the "one page a day" approach, and the writer had managed to read dozens of books in a year!
I'm reading The Peripheral by William Gibson (published in 2014). I'm a big fan of his work, from early books like Neuromancer to his more contemporary, near-future novels. I started watching the Amazon Prime series "The Peripheral" when it debuted in 2022 and was immediately hooked. It was a fantastic adaptation of Gibson's style. Unfortunately, the series was canceled after one season due to the writers' strike, leaving me wanting more. (I highly recommend it, though be warned you'll be left hanging…unless you read the book!)
So far, I've managed to read every day except for two. I'm conflicted about using my Kindle. I love the device, but I also like owning physical books. The funny thing is, when I started reading The Peripheral on my Kindle, I discovered I'd already bought the physical book and even started reading it! The Kindle is great for tracking where you are and syncing across devices.
Going back to SMART goals, an incremental yet consistent approach is key to making progress throughout the year. It's about building habits and avoiding the all-too-common January burnout.